Comic Vine recently had a chance to talk to James Tynion IV about taking over Red Hood and the Outlaws, where he talks about where he want to take the title and it's characters.
Comic Vine: Congrats on RED HOOD. I know some things can't be revealed until Death of the Family ends but what can you tell us about where you're taking the series?
James Tynion IV: I want to really explore the bonds that tie the Outlaws together. They’ve each gone through really horrible things in their lives… Kori’s enslavement, Roy’s alcoholism, and Jason’s death and resurrection. But together, they are strong. They lift each other up and help each other move past those darker moments, and focus on a brighter future. Of course, the best way to explore those rich depths will be to throw an epically huge wrench into their dynamics, and how they’ve relied on each other over the last few years. That wrench will be connected to the aftermath of the Death of the Family storyline, and it will launch us into a huge story over the summer that will really push their friendship to the limits.
But I think that’s the key. This is a book about how you can overcome your deepest, darkest fears and desires when you have great friendships at your back. In the series, I want to both dig into the past, and pave a real path towards these characters’ futures in the DCU. What makes them Outlaws? And more than that… What makes them outcasts from the rest of the superhero community? There’s an incredible potential in each of these characters. Jason’s potential in particular was something that caught the eye of Batman, and later, the All-Caste… Roy’s potential was seen by Green Arrow, before he fell into the depths of his alcoholism… And Kori has the potential to be the powerful warrior leader of an entire alien race, and is powerful enough to fight side-by-side with the Justice League if she wanted to. They’ve all stepped away from that potential in the face of great darkness in their lives, but they’re still out there fighting. They’re still determined to stand by each other’s side. I want to explore why they fight, and more importantly, why they fight together. And I think we have an incredible story that will explore just that.
Comic Vine: As for TALON, will Calvin Rose be dealing with threats other than the Court of Owls?
James Tynion IV: Yes. Absolutely yes. A very big threat will be revealing itself in just a few months. It’s going to really amp up the scale of the series to the next level. I wish I could say more about it, because we have incredible plans that will take us to a corner of the DCU we haven’t seen in New 52 continuity, and build it from the ground up. I am fiendishly excited about where the series is headed, and I hope everyone comes along for the ride.
Comic Vine: Of course we have to ask, what about a crossover between RED HOOD and TALON?
James Tynion IV: There’s nothing on the docket just yet. There are huge stories coming up in both TALON and RED HOOD, and we’re focused on making those stories the absolute best they can be. I would absolutely love for Calvin Rose to come face to face with Jason Todd… I think there’s a great contrast there about how the two of them have dealt with their horrifying pasts and tried to work towards the future. There is another member of the Bat-Family who we might be seeing a bit sooner in the pages of Talon. Was that a Flying Graysons poster back in Issue #0? Not to mention… How does that Batman fella feel about a Talon running around Gotham City without his sanction? I think we might be seeing some of that coming up pretty soon.
Comic Vine: Speaking of crossovers, any thoughts on confrontation between Jason and Dick? Seems Kyle Higgins might be itching for them to face off against each other.
James Tynion IV: He’s not the only one.
You can check out the full interview over at Comic Vine. James Tynion IV starts his run on Red Hood and the Outlaws with issue #19.
Posted by Dane Haji
